County 'in good shape' to avoid major flooding

Even with signs of spring arriving this week, including milder temperatures coupled with rain, local authorities do not anticipate significant flooding in the area over the weekend.

Ashland County Emergency Management Agency Director Mark Rafeld said he and other officials are keeping close watch on the weather as the remnants of last weekend's storm that dropped more than 13 inches of snow melt. But, he added, local waterways are not expected to cause too many problems during the next few days.

"We're doing fine," Rafeld said Thursday. "Right now the snow melt-off is slow. We're anticipating the snow to continue to melt slowly, even though the temperatures are projected to get into the 50s (early next week). The good thing about that is that the projection of rain is minimal."

Forecasts are for a low possibility of precipitation for the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

High temperatures are expected to be in the low 40s today before reaching the high 30s Sunday and climbing early next week.

Meteorologist Gary Garnet of the National Weather Service in Cleveland said low precipitation totals could mean good news for people in an area ravaged by floods earlier this year.

However, residents might face rising water and wetter conditions next week.

A warming trend that started earlier this week is expected to resume by Monday with the mercury reaching the high 40s that day and low 50s Tuesday.

The chance of precipitation is expected to rise as next week progresses, with larger amounts of rain projected in the area, Garnet said.

"That's something we're definitely concerned about," Garnet said, adding that March and April tend to be "radical months" for weather in the northern Ohio.

The meteorologist also said hard, frozen ground could add to the potential for flooding by limiting absorption capabilities.

Local waterways currently are not dangerously high, Rafeld said, adding "we're in good shape level wise."

"They're monitoring that very closely," said the EMA director, adding he has been in contact with area dams to obtain information. "Obviously, should the runoff create issues and melt faster, they will make whatever corrections they need to make at the dams to slow the flow from going downstream."

As of Friday, water at Charles Mill Dam, was about 4 feet above normal, according to Nick Krupa, operations manager for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Muskingum area in northeast Ohio.

Operators restricted water flow at the dam Thursday night to avoid excessive flooding in southern areas of the county such as Loudonville.

The decision came Friday morning to allow more water through the dam, but flow again was restricted later in the day, Krupa said.

Similar conditions existed at Mohicanville Dam in northern Lake Township. As of Friday afternoon water flow was restricted at the facility, Krupa said.

"They're still discharging some (water), but they're not discharging their maximum," Krupa said.

At Pleasant Hill Dam, in Hanover Township, water isn't as high as it is at the other two dams in Ashland County, Krupa said, explaining "Pleasant Hill is almost back to its normal summer lake level."

Krupa said weekend weather should not contribute to widespread flooding, but storms predicted later next week could "cause us some trouble."

Although residents cannot control the weather, they can pitch in to help limit potential flood damage, Rafeld said. One of the simplest " but most important " things people can do is make sure drains are unobstructed to avoid restricting the flow of water.

"If water can't get into a drain, it backs up into the yards, it backs up into the streets," Rafeld said. "If we can keep water moving the way it's supposed to move and get it away, we're going to be in good shape."